Listen, I am experiencing a serious predicament and if there's one thing I hate, it's a ding dang serious predicament. I much prefer the far less stressful postdicament which allows you some time to reflect on how you escaped.

In this case, though, I really need some assistance. Here's the deal ...

Last night I was in a grocery store and there was a song playing on the speaker system somewhere near the bananas and already-hunked-up watermelon in plastic boxes. I had never heard the song before, nor since, which is not unusual since I don't listen to the radio much. Sadly, the tune is stuck in my head and I've googled until I'm blue in the face as well as the ass and I can tell you right now, a blue ass is nothing to joke about.

The problem I'm having is that I couldn't hear the lyrics or the hook or anything, but I'm hopeful that you guys can help me because the song was very unusual and I'm guessing was probably released in the last 5 years or so due to the production techniques used. Also, it must have been somewhat popular or it wouldn't be included in the market's muzak rotation. Here's what I gleaned from the banana area speaker system ...

1. The song is kind of a drone deal utilizing maybe 2 or 3 chords total.
2. The vocal is male, predominant, and the singer has a very high tenor range.
3. I think I heard some saxophone. Maybe playing in a chorus type deal.
4. As I mentioned, only a couple of chords are used and they stay on the same chord for the entire verse except for a chord change at the very end ... this is the unusual part.
5. I don't recall hearing any percussion, although there may have been some. If so, it was not dominant at all. It's a dramatic, semi-slow tune. Love songish.
6. The singer's accent could have been British, but it could also be one of those Americans who try to sound British because it's cool. The "R"s were pronounced "Ah"s.
7. I reckon that the version I heard was probably 4 or 5 minutes long.
8. The meter is slow. Dramatic.
9. From what I could ascertain, there might have been strings in the background.
10. As I mentioned, I couldn't hear the lyrics, but the verse/vocal went "da da da daaaaa ... dada dada dada da daaaaa" ... like that. Assuming the thing was in D Major, the primary melody was "G F# D E ..... DD EE DD G A". The main theme was that first part ... the "G F# D E". It sounded like the lyrics in the verses repeated themselves over and over again. The word, "heart" may have been used several times.

Again, the main thing that is unique is the fact that the high tenor vocal works over a single chord for a long, long time. Then, at the end of the verse there's a minor change for a 4 or 8 count or so then it returns back to the tonic or root chord once again. Very unique. Not normal.

I know this isn't much to go on, but if you could help a brother out, I sure would appreciate it. I once had Dean Martin's "That's Amore" (the moon pie song) stuck in my head for about a month and a half and I've never been the same after that. I don't think I could withstand another similar episode.

There's rep and casino cash (assuming I have any - I don't really know) in it for the angelic being who can help me out on this deal.

The Song Of Madness (as I shall now refer to it) has no harmonies that I could discern. Also, your song has chord progressions all over the place. The SOM does not. Think of like one of those bagpipe numbers that just kinda drones and the melody takes place over a single, tonic root. That's what this song was like, although it didn't have bagpipes or any other Scottish influences that I noticed.

Nope. Your song has dominant percussion (the SOM does not). Also, this has several singers. The SOM has one vocalist ... very high tenor.

After two attempts, I fear we are lost, my friends. Not even close. This song changes tempo ... the SOM does not. It's a dramatic, sort of slow ballad type of deal.

The grocery store song is very unique ... the uniqueness is due to the single chord over which the entire verse takes place except for right at the end of the verse where there's a brief change then "wham!", right back to the tonic (at least, as I recall it). Also, it sounded like the verses (if that's what they were) have the same or very similar lyrics, although I couldn't make them out.

The Song Of Madness (as I shall now refer to it) has no harmonies that I could discern. Also, your song has chord progressions all over the place. The SOM does not. Think of like one of those bagpipe numbers that just kinda drones and the melody takes place over a single, tonic root. That's what this song was like, although it didn't have bagpipes or any other Scottish influences that I noticed.

FAX

Hey Fax,

Have you considered installing Spotify on your computer and checking out albums and tracks by bands such as Muse, Coldplay and even Maroon 5/Adam Levine? That might help or lead you to the answer.

Hmmm. It could have been those guys ... I didn't recognize his voice, though. This might be correct, however. I need to run down their material and see if this is a possibility.

Most of their stuff (that I've heard, anyhow) has normal chord changes, though.

But, this did have a kind of Coldplay feel ... in a remote, influential kind of way. The voice wasn't right, though. Do they ever switch singers? Let me google up some Coldplay stuff and check on this.

EDIT: Okay. No. I just sampled about 40 Coldplay songs (man, all their stuff sound the same, doesn't it?) and it's definitely not them ... either that, or I missed one. It certainly isn't their singer dude. The SOM vocalist has a very high tenor voice ... higher than the Coldplay guy by a mile.

The Killers guys have a singer who is similar to the guy singing on the SOM. That much is true. Otherwise, I sampled several of their songs with no joy as a result (except for the fact that I kind of like them).

If you don't have shazam, here's a tip from a fellow audio obsessive whose brain is driven nuts by these occurrences:

Try to just remember a single lyrical phrase from it that's distinct to google later when you have access. Even if it's only 3-4 words, you can often google that and "lyrics" and get started on the right path.

Normally, that's what I'd do. I just couldn't make out any lyrics due to the din in the produce section combined with the quality of their speakers.

That's the frustrating part. One chunk of lyrics could have solved the entire problem.

The Killers guys have a singer who is similar to the guy singing on the SOM. That much is true. Otherwise, I sampled several of their songs with no joy as a result (except for the fact that I kind of like them).

FAX

If it were a Killers song, this would be my guess:

__________________In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican.
- H. L. Mencken